Wood Chip Calculator
Calculate wood chip mulch in cubic yards or truckloads. Built for arborist-grade chip deliveries.
Wood Chip Calculator
Arborist-grade chip coverage and truckloads
Wood Chips vs Bark Mulch?
Wood chips and bark mulch differ in source and structure. Wood chips come from whole tree limbs run through a chipper by tree crews. Bark mulch comes from the outer bark layer stripped at sawmills. Wood chips include about 50 percent green leafy material, so they break down faster and feed soil microbes. Bark mulch holds color longer and resists breakdown. Wood chips are the cheapest mulch type and are often free from an arborist chip delivery service. Bark mulch costs more because mills process and bag it. The table below compares the two side by side.
| Feature | Wood Chips | Bark Mulch |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Whole tree limbs and leaves | Outer bark layer only |
| Composition | 50% chips, 50% green leafy, 5% sticks | Bark fragments only |
| Weight per yd³ | 550 to 800 lbs | 400 to 800 lbs |
| Breakdown speed | Fast, 1 to 2 years | Slow, 2 to 4 years |
| Cost | Free to low | $30 to $60 per yard |
| Best use | Paths, large beds, orchards | Tidy front beds |
Choose wood chips for paths, orchards, and large naturalized beds. Choose bark mulch for tidy front beds where uniform color matters. Both protect soil and cut watering needs.
How Many Cubic Yards of Wood Chips Do I Need?
You need 1.85 cubic yards for a 20 x 10 ft bed at 3 inches deep. The wood chip calculator uses the formula: Cubic Yards = Length x Width x Depth in inches / 324. One cubic yard covers about 100 sq ft at 3 inches deep. That same yard covers 75 sq ft at 4 inches and 50 sq ft at 6 inches. Apply a 15 percent compression factor because fresh chips settle fast in the first month. A 200 sq ft bed at 4 inches deep needs 2.5 cubic yards before compression. Add the buffer and order 3 cubic yards.
Wood chips weigh 550 to 800 lbs per cubic yard. One ton equals about 2.5 cubic yards. A half-ton pickup truck carries 2 cubic yards of fresh chips safely. Measure your bed length and width in feet first. Multiply the two to get square feet. Then pick your target depth. The calculator above runs the full math and shows your arborist load equivalent in one click. For an L-shaped bed, split it into two rectangles. Calculate each rectangle on its own. Then add the cubic yards together for your total order.
Apply wood chips thick for best results. Beds need 3 to 4 inches deep to block weeds and hold moisture. Paths take up to 9 inches deep for a firm, springy surface. A 3 inch layer is the safe default for most yards. Keep chips 3 inches clear of plant stems and tree trunks to prevent rot. Chips break down fast and tie up nitrogen in the soil short-term, so spread them on top rather than digging them in.
Truckload Sizing for Arborist Delivery?
An arborist load holds 4 to 20 cubic yards per dump truck. You cannot request an exact amount because the crew drops whatever it chipped that day. The load size depends on the tree job they just finished. Plan your drop zone for the largest likely load. The four common chip truck sizes are listed below.
- 4 yd³ load: A small chipper truck covers about 400 sq ft at 3 inches. This suits one or two garden beds.
- 7 yd³ load: A mid-size truck covers about 700 sq ft at 3 inches. This fits a typical backyard refresh.
- 10 yd³ load: A standard chip truck covers about 1,000 sq ft at 3 inches. This handles most full yards.
- 20 yd³ load: A large dump body covers about 2,000 sq ft at 3 inches. This suits orchards and acreage paths.
How much space does a chip drop zone need?
A chip drop zone needs 8 x 15 ft of clear flat space minimum. The truck tips the load in one pile. Pick a spot the truck reaches without crossing soft lawn. Keep the pile off the street where allowed. A driveway corner works best. Move chips within a week because a fresh pile heats up and may settle into a crust.
How long does free chip delivery take?
Free chip delivery takes 1 to 5 weeks to arrive. The wait depends on local tree work near you. Free local chip-sourcing networks connect homeowners with arborist crews. The International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) and the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) certify many of these crews. Sign up early because demand peaks in spring and fall.
FAQ
A 500 sq ft area at 3 inches deep needs 4.63 cubic yards of wood chips. Add the 15 percent compression factor and order 5.3 cubic yards. One standard 10 yard arborist load covers this with chips to spare for paths.
Wood chips tie up nitrogen in the top inch of soil short-term as they break down. The effect stays at the surface and does not reach plant roots. Keep chips on top of soil, not mixed in. Add a nitrogen source under the chips if you plant directly.
Arborist wood chips are safe for vegetable garden paths and bed edges. Apply 3 to 4 inches on walkways between rows. Keep fresh chips off seed beds because they tie up nitrogen as they break down. Aged chips work better around established plants.
Wood chips need up to 9 inches deep on paths and walkways. A thick layer blocks weeds and stays springy underfoot. Garden beds need only 3 to 4 inches. One 20 yard arborist load builds about 200 linear feet of 3 ft wide path at 6 inches deep.
You cannot order an exact amount because crews drop whatever they chipped that day. An arborist chip delivery service routes loads of 4 to 20 cubic yards to the nearest sign-up. Plan your drop zone for the largest likely load. Order bulk mulch instead if you need a precise volume.
Wood chips are the cheapest or free mulch type. An arborist chip delivery service drops them at no cost in many areas. Free local chip-sourcing networks match crews with homeowners. Bagged bark mulch costs $4 to $8 per bag, so chips save the most on large jobs.
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